Fender vise



Jan. 1, 1929. 1,697,117

J. R. HILSTAD ET AL FENDER VISE Filed Dec. 11.6, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS Jon/v E. H/LS r40 HARRY H. Cqlvrzeauev /M M VCF).

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 1, 1929.

UlTED STATE arena Fries.

Il'OHN ROY HILSTAD, O1? BELVIDEEE GARDENS, ADTD HARRY H, CANTERBURY, OF

WHITTIER, CALIFOENIA, AfiSIGNORS T0 GEORGE G. GRIFFITH, OF MONROVIA, CAL- IFOBNIA.

Application filed December 16, 1924:.

Our invention relates to vises particularly adapted, although not necessarily, for holding automobile fenders to facilitate repairing thereof, and a purpose of our invention is the provision of a tender vise having supporting arms which are adjustable to occupy any position desired and capable of being readily locked in any adjusted position whereby a fender can be firmly supported in any position and at any point or points along its length, so as to eli'ect a firm securing of the fender to facilitate repairing and refinishing.

It is also a purpose of our invention to provide a fender vise in which the arms are adjustable independently of each other on a common mounting, while the n'iounting in turn, is universally adjustable to effect simultaneous adjustment of the arms in addition to their independent adjustment. The mounting includes a ball associated with a socket capable of being contracted to secure the ball against movement and in any ad justed position.

We will describe only one form of fender vise embodying our invention and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a view showing in side elevation and partly in section one form of fender vise embodying our invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on. the line 2-2 of Figure 1; v

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view showing in side elevation the standard shown in the preceding views;

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line let of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the vise with the fender removed.

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the ball. constricted sockets and one of the flexing bolts;

Figure 8 is a transverse section on line of Figure 1, illustrating the locking means for one of the adj ustable arms.

Similar reference characters refer to simi lar parts in each of the several views.

Referring specifically to the drawings, our invention, in its present embodiment, comprises a standard 15having threadedly associated therewith a base 16, the latter adapted to be secured to the floor in any suitablemanner so as to rigidly support the standard in FENDER vIsE.

Serial No. 756,274.

other section of the socket, designated at 18,

is provided with a flange 19 through which a pair of bolts 20 extend for supporting the socket section for limited movement to occupy one position in which a ball 21 can be freely moved within the socket and another position 1n which the socket is constricted to lock the ball against movement. The bolts 20 have threaded engagement with bosses 22 formed on the standard 15, and these bolts are provided with nuts 23 at points above and below the flange 19 which, when properly adjusted, serve to securely clamp the flange to the bolts. The bolts 20 are of sufficient length to allow a slight flexing thereof, as clearly illustrated in Figure 7, to permit the movement of the socket section 18 vto constricted position in eifecting a locking of the ball against movement. The inherent resiliency of the bolts is sufficient to return them to perpendicular position when the socket-section. is relieved of the force necessary to move the latter to constrict-ed position so that the socket section will automatically move to non-constricting position to permit an adjustment of the ball.

The movement of the socket section 18 from normal to constricted position is effected through the medium of a rod 24 mounted for vertical movement in an car 25 formed on the standard 15 and adjustably associated with action of a spring 31 interposed between the flange 19 and the car 25. This spring 81 normally urges the rod 2% upwardly so that the upper socket section 18 can occupy a released position with respect to the ball 21. However, when the cam lever 30 is moved to the position shown in Figure 1 it will operate to draw the rod downwardly and therebymove the socket section to constricting position to effect a locking of the ball 21. A. pin 27 is extended through the arm 28 to prevent accidental displacement of the yoke 27 from the arm, as will be understood.

The ball 21 constitutes part of a mounting for a pair of supporting arms 32 and 33, and the remainder of the mounting is made up of an extension 34 formed on the ball 21 and extending through a suitable opening formed in the socket section 18. This extension 34 is provided with an ear formed on opposite sides with threaded studs 36 and 37, the latter being longer than the former, as clearly shown in Figure 2. The arm 32 and 33 are curved longitudinally, shown in Figure 1, and tranrworsely, as shown in Fig ure 6, so that the two clan'iping heads 38 formed on the upper ends of the arms will be disposed in the same vertical plane. The lower ends of the arms 32 and 33 are provided with supporting heads 39 and 40, re spectively, loosely mounted upon the studs 36 and 37. with fabric washers 41 interposed between the heads and the ear 35 for the purpose of setting up the necessary friction to prevent accidental movement of the head on the studs. Clamping nuts 42 and 43 threadedly engage the studs 36 and 37, respectively, for moving the heads 39 and 40 into clamping engagement with the ear 35 so as to lock the arms 32 and 33 against movement on the mounting. These nuts are provided with handles 44 which facilitate the manual manipulation thereof, as will be understood. The stud 37 projects beyond the nut 42 for the purpose of receiving a nut 45 constituting a support for a ball 46. A ball socket 47 is formed on the lower end of a bracing arm designed to brace a fender supported by the arms 32 and 33 at any point along its length. This bracing arm includes a rod 48 carrying the socket 47 to receive the ball 46 and to thereby allow universal adjustment of the rod on the ball. The rod 48 is telescopically associated with a tubular rod 49 carrying a set screw 50 provided with a winged head 51 by means of which the screw can be manipulated to firmly grip the rod and thus secure the tubular rod in any extended position desired. The upper end of the tubular rod 49 is provided with a. ball 52 on. which is mount-- ed a socket fixed to the stationary jaw 54 of a miniature vise so that the vise as a unit is capable of universal movement upon the tubular rod. The movable jaw is pivoted on the stationary jaw 54 and is capable of ad justment through the medium of the bolt 56 and the wing nut 57, it being understood that a spring (not shown) is interposed between the jaws for normally urging the movable jaw outwardly from the stationary jaw.

As the two clamping heads 38 are identical in construction a description ofone will suffice for both. Each clamping head comprises a stationary jaw 38 fixed to or formed integral with the corresponding arm 32 or 33, and a movable jaw 38 mounted upon a stud 38 threaded at one end to engage within the jaw 38 and provided at the other end with a handle 38 by which the stud can be rotated in effecting movement of the jaw 38*. A coiled expansible spring 38 is interposed between the aws for normally urging the movable jaw outwardly from the SiELlTlOl'la-ry aw, so that as the stud is unscrewed a separation of the two jaws will be effected. To prevent marring of the fender when engaged by the clamping head, washers or disks 38 are interposed bet-ween the jaws in the manner clearly shown in Figure so as to grip the fender, as will be understood.

In practice, the supporting arms and 33 can be adjusted upon their mounting e nd independently of each other by manipulation of the nuts 42 and 43 to release the supporting heads 39 and 40. when the arms can be swung about the studs 36 and 37, as centers, to occupy any position desired in a vertical plane. In this manner, the spacing of the clamping heads 38 can be effected to grip the flange of a fender at any desired point along its length so as to securely hold the fender in position for refinishing or repairing. Operating in conjunction with the arms 32 and 33 is the bracing arm including the elements 48, 49, and the miniature vise, the latter being secured to another flange of the fender, as illustrated in Figure 2, whereby an additional support for the fender is provided. The QX- tensibility and universal mounting of the bracing arm permit of its being moved and clamped to the fender at any point desired so as to properly co-operate with the arms 32 and 33 and providing a rigid support of the fender.

Should it be desired during the repairing or refinishing of the fender to move the fender bodily from the position shown in Figure 1, so that any particular portion of the fender may beconveniently positioned for working, the ball 21 which is norn'lally locked by the normally constricted socket can be released by swinging the cam lever 30 so as to disengage the arm 28 whereby the inherent tendency of the bolts 20 to return to their normal perpendicular position will operate to elevate the upper socket section 18 sufficiently to permit mirestricted movement of the ball so that the entire mounting for the arms 32-, 33. as well as the bracing arm. can then be shifted to any desired position and then looked in such position by a return of the cam lever to the locking positionshown in Figure 1. By virtue of the ball and socket mounting, it will be manifest that the several arms can be moved in any vertical or horizontal plane so that the fender can be caused to assume an infinite number of positions, thus greatly facilitating repairing of the fender.

In order to facilitate bending of a fender back to its original curvature where it is necessary to exert a push or pull on one part of the fender while the other part is firmly held against movement, we provide means by which one of the arms 32 or 33 can be positively locked against movement on the ear 35 while the other arm is free to be moved. This means comprises in the present instance a lug 60 (Figure 1) fixed to the ear 35, and a second lug 61 movable on the arm'32 to engage or disengage the stationary lug 60. The lug61 is provided with a slot 62 through which a stud 63 extends, the latter being fixed to the arm 32 and receiving a winged nut 64 by which the lug can be clamped in any longitudinally adjusted position. \Vith the lug 61 in the position shown in Figure 1, the arm 32 is locked against movement in a clockwise direction, and with its clamping head 38 secured to a fender, it will be clear that that portion of the fender engaged by the clamp will be held against movement in the direction of the arm 33, while the arm 33 free to be moved to cause a bending of the fender, assuming that the nut 43 has been previously loosened. It is to be understood that the lug 61 can be moved to engage the opposite side of the lug 60, thus locking the arm 32 against movement in a counter clockwise direction and thereby firmly holding one portion of the fender against move ment away from the arm 33.

Although we have here shown and described only one form of tender vise embodying our invention, it is to be understood. that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. A fender vise comprising a plurality of arms, clamps carried by the arms, means for supporting the arms for independent adj ustment about a horizontal axis, a ball secured to said means, a two-part socket receiving the ball, one part of said socket being normally urged to an expanded position wherein unrestricted movement of the ball in the socket can be effected, and cam actuated means "for moving said part to efli'eot a constriction of the socket whereby a locking oi the ball against movement is effected.

2. A fender vise comprising a plurality of arms, clamps carried by the arms, a mounting for the arms including a ball, a socket receiving the ball and normally expanded to allow universal movement of the ball but capable of being contracted to secure the ball against movement, and cam actuated means for con.- traoting the socket and maintaining the same in contracted posit-ion.

3. A fender vise comprising a standard, a

two-part socket on the standard, one part of said socket being secured within the standard,

means capable of being flexed supporting the other part of the socket in a. manner to allow limited movement of said part, a ball within the socket, arms adjustable on the ball, a rod operatively connected to the movable part of the socket, and manually operable means for moving and then holding the rod in a manner to move and hold the movable part of said socket to eflect a locking of the ball.

4-. A fender vise comprising a. standard, a two part socket on the standard, one part of said socket being secured within the standard, means capable of being flexed supporting the other'part of the socket in a manner to allow limited movementof said part, a ball within the socket, arms adjustable on the ball, a rod operatively connected to the movable part of the socket, and cam means for moving and y the stationary jaw, a movable jaw on the stud, and means iorurging the movable jaw outwardly from the stationary j aw.

7. A fender vise comprising a plurality oi arms, clamps carried by the arms, means for supporting the arms for adjustment about a horizontal axis, and a bracing arm mounted for universal movement about said horizontal axis.

8.. A fender vise as embodied in claim 7, whereinthe bracing arm is extensible and provided with a vise.

9. A fender vise comprising a standard, a two part socket on the standard, one part of the socket being secured within the standard, a ball within the socket, arms adjustable on the ball, means on the standard for constricting the socket and maintaining the same in constricted position, and means for supporting the arms for adjustment about a horizontal axis.

10. A fender vise comprising a plurality of arms, clamps carried bythe arms, means for supporting the arms for independent adjust-ment about a horizontal axis, and a ball and socket mounting for said means in which the socket is capable of being constricted to efiect a locking of the ball in adjusted position whereby universal adjustment of said means is eilected.

11, A fender vise as embodied in claim 10, wherein the socket is yieldably urged to released position.

12. A fender vise comprising a plurality of arms, clan'iping heads carried by the arms,

means for supporting the arms for adjustment about a horizontal axis, a bracing arm mounted for universal movement about said horizontal axis, and means for locking the arms in any adjusted posit-ion.

13. A fender vise as embodied in claim 12, wherein a vise is universally connected to the bracing arm.

14. A fender vise as embodied in claim 12, wherein the bracing arm is extensible and a vise is universally connected thereto.

15. A fender vise as embodied in claim 12, wherein the bracing arm comprises telescoping rods, and a vise is universally connected to one of the rods.

16. A fender vise comprising a standard, a two part socket on the standard, one part of said socket being secured Within the standard, means capable of being flexed supporting the other part of the socket in a manner to aling of the 10W limited movement of said part, a ball ,Within the socket, arms adjustable about a movement.

17. A fender vise comprising a standard, a two part socket on the standard, one part of the socket being secured to the standard, means capable of being flexed supporting the other part of the socket to allow limited movement of said part, a ball in the socket h aving arms mounted thereon, and means for movingthe movable part of said socket against the actiono'lf said means to effect a constriction of the socket and hence the lockball against movement. J OHN ROY HILSTAD. HARRY H. CANTERBURY.v 

